While the teen birth rate across the state was the lowest in history, the teen birth rate in Worcester increased 12 percent, according to the latest birth report issued by the state Department of Public Health on Monday.

Southbridge, despite having the fifth-highest teen birth rate in the state, showed a decline in the overall number of teen births.

Other local communities showing a decline in teen births were Leominster and Fitchburg.

There were a total of 72,835 babies born in Massachusetts in 2010, which is 2,131 fewer births than in 2009.Of the babies born that year, 3,907 babies — or 5.4 percent of the total births in the state — were born to teenage girls; or 17.1 births per 1,000 women from 15 to 19 years old, which is the lowest teen birth rate ever recorded, according to the DPH. The report showed a 12 percent decline from 2009, when there were 19.5 births per 1,000 in the same age group.

The latest birth rate data for the state also shows that the teen birth rate at 17.1 percent is half the national rate, which is 34.2 births per 1,000 teenage girls.

According to the report, 29 percent of the teen births in the state — 1,136 babies — were born to teenagers 15 to 17 years old. There were 39 babies born to girls between the age of 10 and 14, which was down from 51 in 2009, 40 in 2008, and 49 in 2007. In 2010, the youngest mother was 12-years-old, according to the report.

Of the number of babies born to teenage mothers, 527 — or 46.4 percent — were born to Hispanics, followed by 388, or 34.2 percent, born to whites.

Worcester had a birth rate of 31.6 — or 244 — babies born to women between the ages of 15 and 19. In 2009, the city's birth rate was 28.3 — or 219 — babies born to women of the same age group.

Other cities' birth rate data for 2010 for teenage births include Fitchburg, with 58 babies born to women 15 to 19 years old; Leominster with 34, Southbridge with 28, Gardner with 26, Marlboro with 23, and Clinton and Webster each with 16.

“The credit goes to the young people, which the data shows are doing a much better job of using contraception,” said Elizabeth Peck, public policy director of the Massachusetts Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, on the overall state data.

She added that this latest data, coupled with other state reports, shows “that teenage sexual behavior has not changed significantly, but they are doing a better job of using contraception.”

When looking at the causes of teen pregnancy and prevention of teen pregnancy, Ms. Peck said, access to condoms and contraception has improved and access to sexual health information has improved.

In addition, Ms. Peck said, another factor is teen perception.

“It is whether or not young people have a perception of opportunity, so they see something bigger for themselves,” Ms. Peck said.

Until the state releases individual community data, Ms. Peck said, she can't speculate on the cause of Worcester's increase in teen pregnancy.

Other highlights in the report include:

• The infant mortality rate in Massachusetts was 4.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is 28 percent lower than the U.S. rate, with 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live births.

• The lowest smoking percentage of mothers who smoked during pregnancy, at 6.3 percent, down from 6.8 percent.

• 54 percent of the women giving birth in 2010 were 30 years old or older, compared to only 25 percent in 1980.

• The report also showed declines in the birth rate among in women in the 20-24, 25-29 and 30-34 age groups.

“This report is good news for Massachusetts families,” Gov. Deval L. Patrick said in a statement. “The work we do in promoting public health has a real impact on the lives of children and families across the state.”

Secretary of Health and Human Services John Polanowicz added, “These results show that we continue to make great strides in public health.

"This is also a testament to the hard work and effort of our partners, including health care providers, community-based organizations and schools.”

Contact Donna Boynton at dboynton@telegram.com or follow her on Twitter @DonnaBoyntonTG

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